A GLOSSARY OF LITERARY TERMS

LITERARY DEVICES Alliteration: The repetition of initial consonant Free Verse: Poetry that does not conform to a sounds used especially in poetry to emphasize regular meter or rhyme scheme. Poets who write and link words as well as to create pleasing, in free verse try to reproduce the natural rhythms musical sounds. Example—the fair breeze blew, of spoken language. the white foam flew. Foreshadowing: Important hints that an author Allusion: A reference to a well-known person, drops to prepare the reader for what is to come, place, event, literary work, or work of art to and help the reader anticipate the outcome. enrich the reading experience by Imagery: Words or phrases that appeal to the adding meaning. reader’s senses. Characterization: Techniques a writer uses to Humor: The quality of a literary or informative create and develop a character by what: work that makes the character and/or situations • he/she does or says, seem funny, amusing, or ludicrous. • other characters say about him/her, or how Irony: A technique that involves surprising, they react to him/her interesting, or amusing contradictions or • the author reveals directly or through a contrasts. Verbal irony occurs when words are narrator. used to suggest the opposite of their usual meaning. An irony of situation is when an event Dialect: Speech that reflects pronunciation, occurs that directly contradicts expectations. vocabulary, and grammar typical of a geographical region. Onomatopoeia: The use of words that imitate sounds. Examples would be hiss, buzz, swish, Flashback: Interruption of the chronological and crunch. (time) order to present something that occurred before the beginning of the story. Point of View: Perspective from which the story is told Figurative Language: Language that has meaning • First-person: narrator is a character in the beyond the literal meaning; also known as story; uses “I,” “we,” etc. “figures of speech.” • Third-person: narrator outside the story; • Simile: comparison of two things using the uses “he,” “she,” “they” words “like” or “as,” e.g. “Her smile was as cold as ice.” • Third-person limited: narrator tells only what one character perceives • Metaphor comparison of two things essentially different but with some • Third-person omniscient: narrator can see commonalities; does not use “like” or “as,” into the minds of all characters. e.g. “Her smile was ice.” • Hyperbole: a purposeful exaggeration for Satire: Writing that comments humorously on emphasis or humor. human flaws, ideas, social customs, or institutions in order to change them. • Personification: human qualities attributed to an animal, object, or idea, e.g. “The wind exhaled.”

TEACHING AND LEARNING TO STANDARDS 1 Reading and Literature – A Glossary of Literary Terms Style: The distinctive way that a writer uses Historical Fiction: A made-up story that is based language including such factors as word choice, on a real time and place in history, so fact is sentence length, arrangement, and complexity, mixed with fiction. and the use of figurative language and imagery. Myth: A traditional story intended to explain some Suspense: A feeling of excitement, curiosity, or mystery of nature, religious doctrine, or cultural expectation about what will happen. belief. The gods and goddesses of mythology have supernatural powers, but the human Symbol: Person, place, or thing that represents something beyond itself, most often something characters usually do not. concrete or tangible that represents an Novel: A book-length, fictional prose story. abstract idea. Because of its length, a novel’s characters and plot are usually more developed than those of a short story. LITERARY FORMS Poetry: A literary work that uses concise, colorful, Autobiography: A writer’s story of his or her often rhythmic language to express ideas or own life. emotions. Examples: ballad, blank verse, free verse, elegy, limerick, sonnet. Biography: A writer’s account of some other person’s life. Prose: A literary work that uses the familiar spoken form of language, sentence after sentence. Comedy: Writing that deals with life in a humorous way, often poking fun at Realistic Fiction: Writing that attempts to show life people’s mistakes. as it really is.

Drama: Also called a play, this writing form uses Science Fiction: Writing based on real or dialogue to share its message and is meant to be imaginary scientific developments and often set performed in front of an audience. in the future.

Essay: A short piece of nonfiction that expresses Short Story: Shorter than a novel, this piece of the writer’s opinion or shares information about literature can usually be read in one sitting. a subject. Because of its length, it has only a few characters and focuses on one problem or conflict. Fable: A short story that often uses talking animals as the main characters and teaches an explicit Tall Tale: A humorous, exaggerated story often moral or lesson. based on the life of a real person. The exaggerations build until the character can Fantasy: A story set in an imaginary world in accomplish impossible things. which the characters usually have supernatural powers or abilities.

Folktale: A story originally passed from one LITERARY ELEMENTS generation to another by word of mouth only. The characters are usually all good or all bad Action: Everything that happens in a story. and in the end are rewarded or punished as they deserve. Antagonist: The person or force that works against the hero of the story. (See protagonist)

TEACHING AND LEARNING TO STANDARDS 2 Reading and Literature – A Glossary of Literary Terms Character: One of the people (or animals) in Plot line: The planned action or series of events in a a story. story. There are five parts: exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution. Climax: The high point in the action of a story. Protagonist: The main character in a story, often a Conflict: A problem or struggle between two good or heroic type. opposing forces in a story. There are four basic conflicts: Resolution: The part of the story in which the problems are solved and the action comes to a • Person Against Person: A problem between satisfying end. characters. • Person Against Self: A problem within a Rising Action: The central part of the story during character’s own mind. which various problems arise after a conflict is introduced. • Person Against Society: A problem between a character and society, school, the Setting: The place and the time frame in which a law, or some tradition. story takes place. • Person Against Nature: A problem between a character and some element of nature-a Style: The distinctive way that a writer uses blizzard, a hurricane, a mountain climb, etc. language including such factors as word choice, sentence length, arrangement, and complexity, and the use of figurative language and imagery. Dialogue: The conversations that characters have with one another. Theme: The message about life or human nature that is “the focus” in the story that the writer tells. Exposition: The part of the story, usually near the beginning, in which the characters are introduced, the background is explained, and the setting is described. ADDITIONAL VOCABULARY Falling Action: The action and dialogue following the climax that lead the reader into the Article: A complete piece of writing, as a report or story’s end. essay, that is part of a newspaper, magazine, or book. Mood: The feeling a piece of literature is intended to create in a reader. Atlas: A book of maps.

Moral: The lesson a story teaches. Encyclopedia: A book that contains information on many subjects; or comprehensive information in Narrator: The person or character who actually a particular field of knowledge; usually arranged tells the story, filling in the background alphabetically. information and bridging the gaps between dialogue. (See Point of View.) Fiction: A literary work whose content is based on the imagination and not on fact. Plot: The action that makes up the story, following a plan called the plot line. Glossary: An alphabetical listing of difficult, technical, or foreign terms with definitions or translation; usually found at the end of a book.

TEACHING AND LEARNING TO STANDARDS 3 Reading and Literature – A Glossary of Literary Terms Index: An alphabetical listing that gives page numbers or books where information can be found.

Mystery: A novel, story, or play involving a crime or secret activity and its gradual solution.

Nonfiction: True writing, based on factual information.

Periodical: Another word for magazine.

Reference: A type of book that provides information arranged for easy access.

Series: Several books related in subject, or dealing with the same characters.

Table of Contents: The part of a book which lists the chapters or contents within the book.

TEACHING AND LEARNING TO STANDARDS 4 Reading and Literature – A Glossary of Literary Terms